Offiah World Cup blow for England

Rugby League

DAVE HADFIELD

England suffered another setback in their preparations for the Centenary World Cup yesterday with the withdrawal of the wing-heeled Martin Offiah, who has a calf strain, from both this Saturday's opening match at Wembley and next Wednesday's second group game against Fiji at Central Park.

The 28-year-old Wigan player had been expected to be fit to face the world champions, Australia, and his absence is a significant blow for a team already deprived of Gary Connolly, who has pneumonia.

John Bentley, of Halifax, will replace Offiah on the left wing at Wembley. The England coach, Phil Larder, said: " Martin's a world-class player and it's a terrible blow, but I'm sure John will not let us down."

One player certain to play a key role in England's campaign is Kris Radlinski. He has been handed one of the high-pressure jobs in world sport - playing full-back against Australia - after just five senior games in the position. The 19-year-old Wigan player, normally a wing or centre, was the first named yesterday in England's team on Saturday.

Despite his lack of experience in the position, Radlinski is such an assured individual that his coach has no doubts about his ability to cope. "I've got every faith in Kris," Larder said. "Even when we were thinking about the squad weeks ago, Shaun Edwards and others at Wigan were telling me about this Kris Radlinski."

Other young Wiganers have been given important jobs, with the 22-year- old Barrie-Jon Mather in the centre, 20-year-old Andy Farrell at loose forward and Simon Haughton, 19 like Radlinski, on the bench.

At the other end of the scale, the senior member of the squad, Karl Harrison, has won the contest to start the match at open-side prop. Castleford's Dean Sampson was the front-runner, but Harrison's typically solid display for Halifax has won him the vote.

New Zealand have named their team for their first match, against Tonga at Warrington on Sunday, and there are more surprises in it than there are in England's. Their most-capped player, Gary Freeman, is pushed out of the scrum-half role by Stacey Jones, Richard Barnett also make his debut on the wing and two British-based players, Henry Paul and Kevin Iro, are only on the bench.

ENGLAND (v Australia, Wembley, Saturday): Radlinski; Robinson, Mather (all Wigan), Newlove (Bradford Bulls), Bentley (Halifax); Powell (Keighley), Edwards (Wigan, capt); Harrison (Halifax), Jackson (Sheffield Eagles), Platt (Auckland Warriors), Betts (Auckland Warriors), Clarke (Sydney City Roosters), Farrell (Wigan). Substitutes: Goulding (St Helens), Joynt (St Helens), Pinkney (Keighley), Haughton (Wigan).

NEW ZEALAND (v Tonga, Warrington, Sunday): Ridge (Manly, capt); Hoppe (Auckland Warriors), Blackmore (Auckland Warriors), Wiki (Canberra Raiders), Barnett (Cronulla); Ngamu (Auckland Warriors), Jones (Auckland Warriors); Pongia (Canberra Raiders), Eru (Auckland Warriors), Lowrie (Sydney City Roosters), T Iro (Sydney City Roosters), Kearney (Auckland Warriors), Kemp (Leeds). Substitutes: Paul (Wigan), Okasene (Auckland Warriors), K Iro (Leeds), Horo (Western Suburbs).